Business cards can’t improve your small talk or retract your mistimed jokes, but they can leave a lasting impression with a work associate. As cute as your Twitter handle might be, your contact information is meaningless if poorly presented. Your business card should stand out from your competitors, convey your skills and the overall image of your business.

1. Choose the right printing company:

Everyone has their favourite service. Do your homework on a printing company before spending your precious cash. Nothing is worse than paying for cheap-looking, flimsy business cards.

Two popular examples of business card printing companies are Moo and CardsMadeEasy. Look at reviews of services to confirm if they suit your needs.

2. Be creative:

Some of the best business cards think outside of the box. A great first impression is one that conveys a creative mind.

Going crazy with materials, embossing and interactive elements make cards memorable. Cards formed in non-traditional shapes get attention. Shapes can emphasise a specialty, such as a game developer with a business card with the appearance of a game controller. Adding a QR code to a business card can act as a hyperlink to a personal blog or company site.

3. Quality is everything:

Traditional thin paper business cards from your 1997 Canon printer will fail to impress and get ruined quickly. Basic cards get thrown away more often. Doing your research on companies and making sure the materials chosen are correct is vital to making sure the selected quality matches your needs. Treat your business card as an expression of you. Choose materials, designs and colour that will make your card stand out.

4. Use common sense:

Your business card should not only reflect you but your business. Refer to all the business cards you receive and imitate elements of the cards you find inspiring. Your company logo should be the biggest element on the card to grab attention. In terms of information, less is more.

5. Make sure you proofread!

Get your literate, stylish colleague to check your business card for errors and design, then ask their trusted comrade to check. Nothing looks as unprofessional as an unnoticed typo. Some recommended techniques for proofreading are reading aloud and reading backwards (good for finding grammatical errors). Keeping information to a minimum not only keeps business cards looking stylish but reduces the risk of error.

What kind of business cards do you have? Let us know in the comments below.